Although hockey brings players from all over Europe and North America, the lack of black players in the league compared to other major sports is quite noticeable. If the wings were able to bring someone like Grier to the team, I think that the prestige and talent of this organization would further encourage more black players to join this great sport. Besides Calgary, no other current team in the NHL really has a black player that serves as the face of the organization. Of course Jerome has earned it and definitely has the skill to back it up, but there is no reason why another player could not attain the same position. With the obvious racial diversity that Hockeytown possesses, I believe that a player like Grier's trade to Detroit would not only further inspire black youth to play hockey in the D, but everywhere else where hockey is popular. Thoughts?

I believe the lack of diversity stems more from the lack of affordability of hockey. The majority of minorities (linguistic ha) still populate low-class, low-value areas such as Detroit. Basketball, baseball, and football are all cheaper than hockey by a wide margin.

Gee, in that fantastic movie, "Four Brothers" they showed all the black kids in Detroit out on the street for a game of pick up hockey!!!

God, that was simply an awful movie. Detroit wouldn't let them film it here because it was so down on Detroit, so they went to god knows where, made it look just as bad, then called it Detroit. It was just so full of cliche's and dumb stuff.

Worst Detroit movie line ever, Minnie Driver in that stupid flick Grosse Pte. Blank where she tells someone her apartment was burned down on Devil's Night. Yeah right honey.

I believe the lack of diversity stems more from the lack of affordability of hockey. The majority of minorities (linguistic ha) still populate low-class, low-value areas such as Detroit. Basketball, baseball, and football are all cheaper than hockey by a wide margin.

This. Although there has to be another factor here. There are millions of middle and upper class African American homes and African Canadian homes that can afford to have their children play hockey.

Another issue lays not just in the cost of kids playing hockey but the cost of prepping your kid to make the NHL. Once their child hits 14-16 years old parents who are 'serious' about trying to give their kids the best chance at playing pro hockey will send their kids to a hockey boarding school (as Crosby and Kane's parents did, for example). That's where the price of your kids playing hockey can jump drastically. That and having a kid who's a goalie. My mother had to deal with my brother's love of goaltending and his insane growth-spurts at the same time.

Gee, in that fantastic movie, "Four Brothers" they showed all the black kids in Detroit out on the street for a game of pick up hockey!!!

God, that was simply an awful movie. Detroit wouldn't let them film it here because it was so down on Detroit, so they went to god knows where, made it look just as bad, then called it Detroit. It was just so full of cliche's and dumb stuff.

Worst Detroit movie line ever, Minnie Driver in that stupid flick Grosse Pte. Blank where she tells someone her apartment was burned down on Devil's Night. Yeah right honey.

I think Mike Grier (or any black/minority player) would be offended if he knew that 'bringing diversity' would have had anything to do with his contract. There are a number of intangibles that should go into weighing whether or not a player is worth hiring, but GMs can't have race in their minds...

I think Mike Grier (or any black/minority player) would be offended if he knew that 'bringing diversity' would have had anything to do with his contract. There are a number of intangibles that should go into weighing whether or not a player is worth hiring, but GMs can't have race in their minds...

Exactly. This is insulting. We want Mike Grier the player, not just Mike Grier the black man.

Although hockey brings players from all over Europe and North America, the lack of black players in the league compared to other major sports is quite noticeable. If the wings were able to bring someone like Grier to the team, I think that the prestige and talent of this organization would further encourage more black players to join this great sport. Besides Calgary, no other current team in the NHL really has a black player that serves as the face of the organization. Of course Jerome has earned it and definitely has the skill to back it up, but there is no reason why another player could not attain the same position. With the obvious racial diversity that Hockeytown possesses, I believe that a player like Grier's trade to Detroit would not only further inspire black youth to play hockey in the D, but everywhere else where hockey is popular. Thoughts?

The lack of interest in hockey from blacks is also noticeable. Still, other teams will have black players as their face. And they should. It's great to see different people from different backgrounds winning. We pay attention to the fact that Lids was the first European captain to win a cup. I'm sure attention will be paid to the first black captain to win a cup, assuming one hasn't done so already. Such disparities deserve looking at, but with a grain of salt and dose of reasonableness.

I don't disagree that Grier would bring diversity as far as race is concerned, but not as far as talent is concerned, which should be the focus here as a priority rather than his race. The Wings do not need Grier and I don't see what gaps he would fill that aren't already full. The Wings had a major dip in scoring talent and Grier isn't a way to make up for it.

I'd ask for clarification of where the jewelry, guns, drugs, or strippers would be brought from for signing a black player (I haven't seen any of the NBA or NFL players you mention ever join the NHL), but then again I'm probably fighting futility in attempting to put some logic into a rather empty head of pitiful stupidity.

Exactly. This is insulting. We want Mike Grier the player, not just Mike Grier the black man.

I don't think that's what the OP meant. Just saying that if it were to happen, independent of race, then there would be some positives due to the added diversity. I don't think Grier would have a problem with making a positive impact on the sport in that way.

Formerly known as The Nephilim.

QUOTE (Amberoonie)
Babs sure hurries himself into the presser, sits down, and f*cks up a bottle of water like no one in the room has had any for days.

Half of me, the black half, is offended by this thread. That said, bring on Iron Mike. We need someone to scare the f*** out of Kane and Toews. I have the feeling that Grier telling them that they'll be his ***** is going to work.